By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
The spirit of sacrifice is an important underlying principle of the #BharatJodoYatra. The understanding that willingness to sacrifice is not only important, at this divisive stage of the nation’s history; but is also necessary to build a strong, compassionate and diverse nation.
That said, there are a few better examples of personal sacrifice than the three special families that accompanied the yatra today. They are kin to deceased individuals who donated their organs. At this stage, we would like to remember them: Rakshitha of Somanahalli, Chikmagalur district, a 10 + 2 student who passed away after falling off a bus. Veda in an accident; and whose grandfather H M Mallikarjunnappa was a Freedom Fighter and an MLA. Actor Vijay Kumar Basavarajaiah, known by his stage name “Sanchari Vijay”, winner of the the National Film Award for Best Actor(2015) who lost his life in a motorcycle accident.
This generosity was matched by 33 Bharat Yatris who also pledged to be eye donors and walked alongside. We honour them too in this diary. Special thanks to yatris Avani Bansal and Dr Sushrut Hedna for taking the initiative on behalf of the yatris.
The yatris who have pledged to donate their eyes
It was once again an overcast sky, but pleasant weather, that greeted the yatris as they commenced their journey from Challakere Town. However the weather soon turned hot, and it became somewhat of a slog in the heat. But the yatris persevered. “There were some easier days, this one was tough,” said Pradip Ror, Yatri, “you just have to get through them.”
The Yatris took their midday break at Giriyammanahally Village. In the afternoon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will interact with 2000 unemployed individuals from across Karnataka. This interaction has been organised by IYC Karnataka.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is presently in the state of Karnataka. Over 21 days in the state, it will cover 511 kilometres.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a five month, 3500 kilometre long padyatra from Kanyakumari in the South of India to Kashmir up in the North. It is part of the party’s national mass outreach program aimed at highlighting social polarisation, economic inequalities and political centralisation.
Ground research: Aparna Ashwarya (INC Communications Department research team)
Midday Travel Facts
1. Current District Name – Chitradurga
2. Chitradurga is famous for its picturesque forts.
3. According to the Mahabharatha, Chitradurga hill was the residing place of Hidimbasura.
4. Turuvanuru village, located in the Chitradurga district, has a strong association with the freedom struggle. It shot into fame as one of the centres for Mahatma Gandhi’s call for liquor prohibition in India in 1939.
5. Chitradurga district was one of the main centres in Karnataka during the Quit India Movement, 1942
6. Chitradurga is one of the country’s driest districts. It has witnessed 59 droughts in a century, from 1901 to 2000, according to the district’s agriculture department.